by Alisa Carmichael

Everything I ever needed to know I learned from a rottweiler. Really.

I got over to the Chapel Center early this morning to meet up with an air conditioner service guy. Our AC units are working but not efficiently, and in Florida that is a serious– and inevitably costly–issue.

One of our student residents was heading out as I made my way in. I could hear some scratching and whining coming from the door to the residence area. She warned me that one of the other students was (temporarily) watching her family dog at the Center.

“It’s OK. It’s a very friendly dog.”

“What type is it?” I asked. “Big? Little?”

“Sorta big. One of those types that is supposed to be really mean. But it’s not. It’s really friendly.”

“Pit bull?” I ventured.

“Yeah, I think so. That’s it!”

“Great!” I thought, heading to the residence area. I happen to like dogs. I have two large dogs at home myself. I, however, have learned that the concept of “friendliness”–especially in meeting visitors first time–can be kinda unpredictable and a bit iffy.

I opened the hall door. It was not a pit bull. It was a rottweiler.

It was, however, a rottweiler who was indeed VERY friendly and deliriously happy to see me.

And the AC repair guy.

And our chaplain, who arrived a few minutes later.

And his owner, who arrived a bit after that.

It turned out to be a great morning. The Librarian in me loved the fact that I was able to clean out the chaplain’s office space, organize the storage closet, and pull out a buncha stuff to donate to Good Will, the Salvation Army, or anyone who would be willing to cart it away.

On the other hand, the List-maker/Organizer/Git-R-Done gal in me also was starting to freak out a bit, considering that (according to our new AC guy) we need: window tinting, new awnings, a bunch of good quality vertical blinds, and just maybe some trees added to our landscaping to make the Chapel Center energy efficient and comfortable.

Ka-ching….

Add that to new exterior doors, plumbing repairs, new furniture in the study area.

And wouldn’t it be nice to finally have something up on the walls too and just a little decorative details to “warm up” the place?

How about something as simple as fixing the damper pedal on the piano in the Chapel Center, which doesn’t work in spite of the fact that we now have new songbooks and we’d actually like to sing on Sunday nights?

It’s easy to start seeing a price tag on everything–either for replacement or repair. At this time of the year, with graduation rapidly approaching, it is especially frustrating to measure what you hoped to accomplish against the realization that there is still so very much left to do with little time and no money.

However, perhaps that rottweiler has got it right. (My German shepherd and Golden retriever at home have the same philosophy):

Thanks, Dana! Not original with me, I have to say, but actually from a bumper sticker I see every so often. Bumper sticker philosophy is a treasure trove of wisdom that I think we are losing. Posting on Facebook has taken its place! 🙂